The stratum corneum is the outermost layer of the skin, and is therefore that which is most exposed to the effects of time. It generally thickens as the skin becomes more mature, thus resulting in an alteration of the facial skin’s colour (the skin appears dull and grey), as well as the appearance of spots.

• Increased cell turnover

The chemical exfoliation process stimulates rapid cell renewal, which helps to improve the physiological state of the skin (better oxygenation, elasticity and skin tone, with improved collagen and elastin synthesis).

• Smooth and radiant skin

The removal of the most superficial layers and the exposureof the underlying layers renders the skin smoother and more radiant.

2 – Inhibition of melanogenesis

Via the processes of oxidation and polymerization, melanogenesis can be blocked by inhibiting tyrosinase, the enzyme that catalyses the formation of melanin starting with the amino acid tyrosine. Melanin is the main pigment of the skin and the hair, and is synthesized inside melanocytes before migrating to the stratum corneum. Inhibiting the formation of melanin decreases the formation of spots on the skin (caused by melanin accumulations), as well as the onset of skin hyperpigmentation in general.

3 – Protection against UV radiation

When the skin is regularly treated with whitening agents, it must be protected against UV rays in order to avoid stimulating the pigmentation processes that the previous treatments are designed to counteract Sunscreens with a high protection factor (SPF 50 +) must therefore be used in order to:• prevent the formation of melanin, which is activated by UV radiation• protect the skin against photo-induced free radicals Following the exfoliation process, in fact, the skin becomes more susceptible to attacks by free radicals (reactive oxygen and nitrogen species), which can trigger the oxidative processes that lead to cell damage and skin ageing.